BACK around Christmas time my colleagues in Irish Thoroughbred Marketing suggested January and February might constitute a ‘quieter’ period for the team. I’m not so sure about their version of ‘quiet’ anymore. The tempo never seems to slacken very much in these quarters and now we have to find another gear with the big jumps festivals and the new flat season around the corner.

Perhaps the most public exposure we have had since the turn of the year was the ITM Stallion Trail, which had a job to match the success of its inaugural year in 2015, but consensus says that was achieved.

Increased numbers visited the 28 studs on the trail, especially the smaller farms, with the attendance a broad mix of owners, breeders and racing public, including many from the UK and the continent. That Irish bloodstock fares exceptionally well worldwide is nothing new, but neither can it be taken for granted. Standing still is never an option in any business, so initiatives such as the ITM Stallion Trail help reinforce the country’s status as the premier location to breed thoroughbreds.

January also saw the release of the 2015 Irish statistics by Horse Racing Ireland, which included some interesting figures in relation to Irish sales prices, exports, racehorse ownership and horses in training. While sales and export figures for 2015 were up (3.5% and 16.7% respectively), the domestic figures relating to ownership and horses in training continued to fall.

There were however many positives, with definite signs of growth appearing in the flat division and an increase in runners and entries. However, National Hunt racing is taking longer to recover. As mentioned by ITM’s Racehorse Ownership manager, Aidan McGarry, during RTÉ’s Irish Gold Cup broadcast and again at the ITBA Seminar at Tattersalls Ireland, those figures will hopefully show more positive signs for 2016 with a renewed focus on that area for the year ahead.

ON THE ROAD

Elsewhere, members of the team have been on the road luring increased investment to our industry. CEO Charles O’Neill led the charge visiting the Asian Racing Conference, the biennial event this time taking place in Mumbai late in January and presenting an excellent opportunity to network and build relations with senior racing and breeding figures from across several racing jurisdictions.

In addition, we sponsored the opening race, the ITM Multi-Million, at the Mahalaxmi racecourse and it was won by local horse Holy Smoke with our own Colm O’Donoghue on board, dominating from the front.

Katie Rudd, who is in charge of several of our continental European markets, visited Pau in the southwest of France recently as a part of a trip jointly arranged by Enterprise Ireland to visit trainers and breeders of horses under both codes, including champion flat trainer Jean-Claude Rouget while also finding the time to ride out for jumps handler Phillipe Cottin.

Meanwhile, I had the privilege of being sent to South Africa last month to attend the Cape Premier Sales. It was interesting to note how Irish bloodlines are exerting a growing influence on South African horses.

ITM were co-sponsors of a pre-sale event organised by leading vendors Klawervlei Stud. I attended functions and race meetings, including the Investec Cape Derby meeting at Kenilworth. Racecourse gallops at the latter venue for the prestigious J&B Met and track work at Milnerton were also taken in. The welcome everywhere was amazing. We will return the compliment when our South African friends visit these shores later in the year.

The travel never stops and today Eimear Chance and Aidan are on duty at Wincanton’s big Kingwell Hurdle meeting as part of our ongoing drive to attract more British buyers to our store sales in the summer. Incidentally, Eimear enjoyed her birthday in Cornwall last weekend. It was, by all accounts, fabulous.